Bay Area’s best sports commentators: The readers pick a winner

Thanks for your enthusiastic participation in this week’s Today’s Special: Best Bay Area Sports Commentators. (Original post with my rankings here.) The default on these types of discussions is to bitch about the negative, so I was happy to see the comments were overwhelmingly constructive. People seemed to appreciate the quality of sports announcing in the Bay Area.

Giants broadcaster Jon Miller was your overwhelming favorite, followed by Giants play-by-play man Duane Kuiper and Raiders commentator Greg Papa. (Who spent the afternoon on The Wheelhouse with John Lund lobbying for the competition — something about bad things happening to his career when he wins awards.) While I had quite a few allies, the consensus considered my top pick of David Flemming anything from premature to a horrific insult to the baseball Gods. Still, Flemming beat Mike Krukow, the most polarizing figure in Bay Area broadcasting based on the comments.

Here are the readers’ top choices. Included votes in the comments, by e-mail and to my Twitter feed. Your top five picks were counted, with a first place pick worth 5 votes, etc.:

It should be noted that if I counted the votes for people who ignored my instructions and cast ballots for the late Bill King, he would have finished in the Top 3. There were also several votes for Lon Simmons, including one arguing that the inning or two he’ll spend visiting a Giants or A’s broadcast booth in 2012 will be better than anything else on the air.

A few more notes …

* Thanks to everyone who included all-time announcing greats on their lists. While I didn’t count them, I wrote them all down and will use the nominations for a future tribute.

* While Ted Robinson finished fourth, his response was almost universally positive. If I were to factor in the negative votes, he might have won the whole thing. The six other announcers in the Top 7 (Miller, Kuiper, Papa, Flemming, Krukow and Remenda) all had at least a small band of enthusiastic detractors.

* I thought the Roxy Bernstein 13th place finish was notable. A lot of people had him in fourth or fifth place. He ended up with more votes than several higher-profile broadcasters in the area.

* My picks and rationale are in the slideshow below.

UPDATED! 5:10 p.m. As promised, I added a couple of 1980s-era Krukow photos that I left out of the original gallery. (He didn’t make my top broadcasters, but I pulled a couple of archived photos in case he made the readers’ list.)

See below — the first from his 1983 signing, and the second from a 1986 profile with his family. I looked at the coverage from the trade and Krukow’s signing wasn’t popular. Multiple local columnists said the organization made a mistake trading Joe Morgan (whose vacancy at second base was filled by Duane Kuiper).

Morgan’s batting average dropped to .230 the following year. Krukow won 66 games with the Giants and became a face of the franchise.

PETER HARTLAUB is the pop culture critic at the San Francisco Chronicle and founder/editor of The Big Event. He takes requests. Contact him at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com. Follow him on Twitter @peterhartlaub. Follow The Big Event on Facebook.

Pete Breinig/The Chronicle 1983

Fred Larson/The Chronicle 1986

Photo: Ken Howard / Special to the Chronicle 1978

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12. BARRY TOMPKINS: I've listened for decades, and Tompkins maintains the same level of enthusiasm -- whether calling a title bout or covering two college teams with losing records. Plus, dude was in "Rocky IV" ... less

12. BARRY TOMPKINS: I've listened for decades, and Tompkins maintains the same level of enthusiasm -- whether calling a title bout or covering two college teams with losing records. Plus, dude was in "Rocky ... more

Photo: Ken Howard / Special to the Chronicle 1978

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11. RANDY HAHN: After 17 years providing sharp play-by-play for the Sharks, his history with the team has become a huge asset. Hahn, Remenda and Rusanowsky are now intertwined in the Sharks DNA.

11. RANDY HAHN: After 17 years providing sharp play-by-play for the Sharks, his history with the team has become a huge asset. Hahn, Remenda and Rusanowsky are now intertwined in the Sharks DNA.

Photo: Courtesy Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

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10. DAN RUSANOWSKY: I'll be honest. I was initially fascinated with the way his Sharks "score" call sounds like "SCAR!" I've since developed deeper respect for his talents. Hockey is a tough game to keep straight on the radio. less

10. DAN RUSANOWSKY: I'll be honest. I was initially fascinated with the way his Sharks "score" call sounds like "SCAR!" I've since developed deeper respect for his talents. Hockey is a tough game to keep ... more

Photo: San Jose Sharks Radio Network

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9. TITO FUENTES: My Spanish is weak, but I still enjoy Fuentes and his partner, Bay Area product Erwin Higueros. One suggestion: As a nod to Miller's "Adios Pelota" call, I'd like to hear Higueros say "Goodbye ball" when Posey knocks one out. less

9. TITO FUENTES: My Spanish is weak, but I still enjoy Fuentes and his partner, Bay Area product Erwin Higueros. One suggestion: As a nod to Miller's "Adios Pelota" call, I'd like to hear Higueros say "Goodbye ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg / AP

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8. DUANE KUIPER: I like how the Giants play-by-play announcer is comfortable playing around with Krukow, but is always grounded and comes through in the big moment. And unlike a lot of ex-players in the booth, he's never boastful. less

8. DUANE KUIPER: I like how the Giants play-by-play announcer is comfortable playing around with Krukow, but is always grounded and comes through in the big moment. And unlike a lot of ex-players in the booth, ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

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7. JIM BARNETT: I appreciate the Warriors' commentator's ability to take complex details from the game and explain them in a simple way. Most ex-players are either blowhards or good storytellers. Barnett is a good teacher. less

7. JIM BARNETT: I appreciate the Warriors' commentator's ability to take complex details from the game and explain them in a simple way. Most ex-players are either blowhards or good storytellers. Barnett is a ... more

Photo: Dave Randolph / The Chronicle 1973

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6. KEN KORACH: Thank you Ken Korach, the patron saint of updating the score in the middle of the inning. (Why don't other broadcasters do this?) I like Korach for the same reason I like A's fans: There is nothing phony about him. less

6. KEN KORACH: Thank you Ken Korach, the patron saint of updating the score in the middle of the inning. (Why don't other broadcasters do this?) I like Korach for the same reason I like A's fans: There is ... more

Photo: Susan Slusser / The Chronicle

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5. TED ROBINSON: I'm constantly impressed by Robinson's professionalism and preparedness -- whether he's filling in on a KNBR night shift or calling the biggest 49ers playoff game in 15 years. A great recent addition. less

5. TED ROBINSON: I'm constantly impressed by Robinson's professionalism and preparedness -- whether he's filling in on a KNBR night shift or calling the biggest 49ers playoff game in 15 years. A great recent ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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4. DREW REMENDA: The knowledgable and feisty Remenda has mastered a difficult balance, supporting the Sharks without insulting the intelligence of fans. Remenda and Hahn are my second-favorite team in Bay Area sports. less

4. DREW REMENDA: The knowledgable and feisty Remenda has mastered a difficult balance, supporting the Sharks without insulting the intelligence of fans. Remenda and Hahn are my second-favorite team in Bay Area ... more

Photo: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

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3. JON MILLER: Seems prone to more hallucinatory tangents since he left the national telecast; usually a good thing. A linguistic contortionist, he can have fun one moment and milk a play for maximum drama the next. less

3. JON MILLER: Seems prone to more hallucinatory tangents since he left the national telecast; usually a good thing. A linguistic contortionist, he can have fun one moment and milk a play for maximum drama the ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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2. GREG PAPA: An old school guy who young people can appreciate. Papa is perfect for Raiders fans -- passionate and pro-Oakland, but still willing to point out the negative. I'd love to see him back doing Warriors play-by-play. less

2. GREG PAPA: An old school guy who young people can appreciate. Papa is perfect for Raiders fans -- passionate and pro-Oakland, but still willing to point out the negative. I'd love to see him back doing ... more

Photo: Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

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1. DAVID FLEMMING: I was impressed with Flemming's professionalism from the beginning. Experience has built confidence and we're starting to hear more humor. If he sticks around, I'm convinced he'll be an all-time Bay Area great. less

1. DAVID FLEMMING: I was impressed with Flemming's professionalism from the beginning. Experience has built confidence and we're starting to hear more humor. If he sticks around, I'm convinced he'll be an ... more